Depressive symptoms

5 papers8 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

3 independent labs in 2 countries

Funders: National Institute on Aging and 4 more

Humans5

Outcomes

Handgrip strength

no changein humans1downin humans1

1 study

Depressive symptoms have no effect on handgrip strength in humans (β= -0.52, SE= 0.39, p= 0.1812).
“No significant decline (β= - 0.52, SE= 0.39, p-value= 0.1812) in handgrip strength as a function of high depressive symptoms was found among male participants over time”
Humans23 yearsmales
DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND HANDGRIP STRENGTH IN MEXICAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS: SEX DIFFERENCES
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024
Depressive symptoms decrease handgrip strength in humans (β= -1.34, SE= 0.26, p < 0.0001).
“Female participants with high depressive symptoms experienced a greater [β= -1.34, Standard Error (SE)= 0.26, p-value= < 0.0001] decline in handgrip strength over time”
Humans23 yearsfemales
DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND HANDGRIP STRENGTH IN MEXICAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS: SEX DIFFERENCES
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Objective cognition

downin humans1

1 study

Depressive symptoms impair objective cognition in humans (PACC = ‐0.099, p = 0.025).
“Higher levels of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with poorer subjective cognition (CFI = 0.047, p <0.001) and objective cognition (PACC = ‐0.099, p = 0.025)”
Humansadjusting for age, education, amyloid and tau burdenn = 447
Exploring the Cross‐sectional Association of Mood Symptoms with Subjective and Objective Cognition in the A4 study
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025

Subjective cognition

downin humans1

1 study

Depressive symptoms impair subjective cognition in humans (CFI = 0.047, p <0.001).
“Higher levels of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with poorer subjective cognition (CFI = 0.047, p <0.001)”
Humansadjusting for age, education, amyloid and tau burdenn = 447
Exploring the Cross‐sectional Association of Mood Symptoms with Subjective and Objective Cognition in the A4 study
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025

P-TAU181

upin humans1

1 study

Depressive symptoms increase P-TAU181 in humans (p = .026).
“Greater depressive symptoms associated with worse Memory performance ( p = .005) and higher p ‐tau181 levels ( p = .026”
Humanscerebrospinal fluidn = 162
Psychosocial Functioning and Residential Status Associate with Cognition and Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias across Adulthood
AAIC 2025 abstract24 Dec 2025

Associations

Cognitive decline

upin humans1HR 1.42

1 study

Depressive symptoms raise the risk of cognitive decline in humans (HR 1.42; 1.28-1.58).
“the highest tertile (HR 1.42; 1.28-1.58)”
Humans3.67 median follow-up yearsn = 8,847
Multidimensional Depressive Symptom Exposure and Incident Cognitive Decline: A Prospective Cohort Study
Depression and anxiety6 Aug 2026

Dementia

upin humans1OR 3.8

1 study

Depressive symptoms raise the risk of dementia in humans (OR = 3.80, CI: 1.71, 8.45).
“individuals with only DS (OR = 3.80, CI: 1.71,8.45) and those with both conditions (OR = 2.39, CI: 1.31, 4.39) were associated with higher odds of developing dementia”
Humanscompared to neither conditionone-year
Impact of Depressive and Insomnia Symptoms on Memory Decline and Dementia Risk in Older Adults
GSA 2025 abstract31 Dec 2025